Trumpet on the Land

Assistant Army Surgeon Dr. Valentine McGillycuddy, nearing end of horse-meat march to the Black Hills.
(Courtesy Little Bighorn Battlefield Nanonal Monument)

Posed photo of soldier shooting played-out cavalry horse in march south from Slim Buttes.
(Courtesy Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.)

Miniconjou chief “American Horse” and wife.
(Courtesy South Dakota Historical Society.)

Buckskin lodge captured at Slim Buttes (note Keogh's I Company guidon recaptured).
(Courtesy Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.)

Pushing the Sharps lever down, Donegan ejected the empty cartridge, then replanted a live round in the breech. “Seems those warriors dogging our tails was just a little too anxious to close the trap, don't it?”

“Lucky us,” grumbled Finerty as he crabbed up to join the three, whining lead following the white men into the timber.

Grouard rolled on his back and found Sibley, then instructed, “Lieutenant, tell your boys not to fire a shot until they got a good target.”

“These men have fought before,” Sibley snapped.

“Just remind 'em!” Donegan added. “We're going to need every last bullet we have before this day's done.”

Nodding, a grim Sibley responded, “All right.”

“And … Lieutenant,” Seamus said, causing the officer to halt in a crouch, “tell your men it's a good idea to keep one last round in their pistols for themselves.”

Cast
of
Characters

Seamus Donegan                                              Samantha Donegan

Army Scouts

Frank Grouard (“The Grabber,” Yugata)

Louis (Louie) Richaud (Reshaw)

Baptiste Pourier (“Big Bat,” Left Hand)

William F. Cody

^*
Charles / James / Jonathan White (“Buffalo Chips Charlie”)

Tait / Tate

Baptiste Garnier (“Little Bat”)

John Wallace “Captain Jack” Crawford (“The Poet Scout”)

“Buckskin Jack” Russell

“Texas Jack” Omohundro

Military

Lieutenant General Philip H. Sheridan—Commander, Division of the Missouri (Chicago)

Brigadier General George C. Crook—commanding Department of the Platte (HQ—Omaha, Nebraska)

General Alfred H. Terry—commanding Department of the Dakota

Colonel Wesley Merritt—Commanding Officer, Fifth Cavalry (Brevet MAJOR GENERAL)

Colonel Nelson A. Miles—Commanding Officer, Fifth In-fantry

Lieutenant Colonel William B. Royall—Commanding Officer, Third Cavalry (Brevet COLONEL)

Lieutenant Colonel Eugene A. Carr—Fifth Cavalry (Brevet MAJOR GENERAL)

Lieutenant Colonel James W. “Sandy” Forsyth—headquarters staff, Division of the Missouri

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Nelson Garland Whistler—Fifth Infantry

Major Edwin F. Townsend—Post Commander, Fort Laramie (Brevet COLONEL)

Major Alexander Chambers—Commanding Officer, Fourth Infantry (Brevet COLONEL)

Major Andrew W. Evans—Second in Command, Third Cavalry (Brevet COLONEL) Battalion Commander

Major John J. Upham—Fifth Cavalry, Battalion Commander

Captain Julius W. Mason—K Troop, Fifth Cavalry (Brevet LIEUTENANT COLONEL) Battalion Commander

Captain William H. Jordan—Ninth Infantry, Commanding Officer, Camp Robinson (Brevet MAJOR)

Captain James “Teddy” Egan—K. Troop, Second Cavalry

Captain Emil Adams—C Troop, Fifth Cavalry

Captain Thomas B. Weir—Seventh Cavalry

Captain Edward W. Smith—adjutant to General Alfred Terry

Captain Thaddeus H. Stanton—Paymaster, Department of the Platte, Commander of Volunteers (Brevet MAJOR)

Captain Samuel Munson—C Company, Ninth Infantry

Captain Andrew S. Burt—H Company, Ninth Infantry (Brevet MAJOR)

Captain Gerhard L. Luhn—F Company, Fourth Infantry

Captain Daniel W. Burke—C Company, Fourteenth Infantry

Captain William H. Andrews—I Troop, Third Cavalry

Captain John V. Furey—Expedition Quartermaster, commanding wagon/supply train

Captain Henry E. Noyes—I Troop, Second Cavalry (Brevet MAJOR) Battalion Commander

Captain George M. (“Black Jack”) Randall—Chief of Scouts, Twenty-third Infantry (Brevet MAJOR)

Captain William H. Powell—G Company, Fourth Infantry Captain Anson Mills—M Troop, Third Cavalry (Brevet COLONEL)

Captain Frederick Van Vliet—C Troop, Third Cavalry (Brevet MAJOR)

Captain Alexander Sutorius—E. Troop, Third Cavalry

Captain Peter D. Vroom—L Troop, Third Cavalry

Captain Elijah R. Wells—E. Troop, Second Cavalry

Captain Samuel S. Sumner—D Troop, Fifth Cavalry (Brevet MAJOR)

Captain Robert H. Montgomery—B. Troop, Fifth Cavalry

Captain Sanford C. Kellogg—I Troop, Fifth Cavalry (Brevet LIEUTENANT COLONEL)

Captain George F. Price—E. Troop, Fifth Cavalry Captain Edward M. Hayes—G Troop, Fifth Cavalry